U.S. Secretary of Defense Austin warned on the 19th that China and Russia's pursuit of a world where power is justice has become the most important challenge facing the United States.

(Associated Press)

[Compiled Zhang Peiyuan/Comprehensive Report] U.S. Secretary of Defense Austin warned on the 19th that China and Russia are pursuing a world that resorts to force to resolve disputes. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine highlights the challenges facing the United States in the Indo-Pacific region. China’s activities around Taiwan It has become "increasingly provocative", but the United States will continue to defend humanitarian principles and international law.

Resorting to the use of force to resolve disputes may lead to imitation

Austin made the above remarks while speaking at the International Security Forum (HFX) in Halifax, Canada.

Like Moscow, Austin said, Beijing "seeks a world where might equals justice, disputes are resolved with force, and dictators can put out the flames of freedom"; China's views on the international system are far from the same, including Chinese military planes flying close to Taiwan almost every day, and conducting dangerous interceptions of US and allied planes on many occasions.

Please read on...

Washington has identified China and its attempts to reshape the Indo-Pacific region as the greatest challenge facing the United States, with Russia's invasion of Ukraine highlighting the "imminent threat" Moscow poses.

On the 19th, Austin connected the two, emphasizing that if a country can retreat after violating the rules, other countries will follow suit.

The United States will continue to defend humanity and international law

Austin said Russia's aggression in Ukraine is a harbinger of how a nuclear-armed state could threaten other nations, and that dictators such as Russian President Vladimir Putin may view nuclear weapons as having a "license to hunt," leading to a dangerous spiral of nuclear proliferation .

"There are still rules in war," Austin stressed. "When a great power doesn't take those rules into account, it encourages other nations to defy -- especially the fundamental principle of immunity for non-combatants."

Austin said that due to the continuous defeat of the Russian army on the battlefield, Russia may consider using nuclear weapons and seek support from countries such as Iran and North Korea, including the use of Iranian drones to kill Ukrainian civilians. The United States and its allies will jointly assist Ukraine to deal with the challenge.